1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical sampling, and in particular to a system for collecting blood and urine specimens including a blood specimen collection card with a humidity-indicating patch.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medical samples are used in a variety of applications to determine various characteristics of a subject, such as the presence of various diseases and/or the use of illicit drugs. Blood and urine samples from the subject are commonly obtained and analyzed to obtain such information about the subject.
Insurance companies and employers have become particularly active in testing potential insureds and employees respectively for the H.I.V. virus and/or evidence of illicit drug use. Accordingly, large numbers of insurance and job applicants are routinely referred to testing centers for the purpose of providing specimens. In many cases the analysis of the collected specimens is done at centralized laboratories or testing facilities. An examiner therefore obtains the necessary samples and transports them to the laboratory, along with information concerning the subject, the test procedure, etc.
Increased scrutiny on the part of both employers and insurers of their prospective employees and insureds has led to more widespread medical testing involving subjects' body fluids. Since significant decisions (e.g., extending employment or insurance) are often based on such test results, there is a great need for accuracy and reliability in connection with such tests. Moreover, the collected specimens must be guarded against tampering or adulteration. Still further, specimens such as blood must be dry in order to be processed and tested. Blood samples have heretofore been collected on cards, which can comprise porous, blotter-like material. However, if the cards have too high a moisture content, the specimens or samples will not dry properly. Moreover, a variety of environmental conditions can contribute to excessive moisture levels and prevent proper drying of the sample or specimens.
Accordingly, it is desirable to monitor the humidity level or moisture content of a blood specimen card from a time prior to use to a time when the dried blood samples are removed therefrom for analysis.
Various humidity-indicating devices have previously been employed to meet the requirements of particular applications. For example, low cost humidity indicators are often manufactured from absorbent materials such as blotter paper impregnated with chemical substances for indicating moisture levels. For example, the Snelling U.S. Pat. No. 2,214,354 discloses a dampness detecting and indicating device which employs water-soluble dyes in deliquescent materials which absorb moisture and thereby become liquid, mixing with and activating the dye material.
The Williams et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,373 discloses a flexible humidity indicator and container which employs a chemical solution of cobalt chloride and additives on a vapor permeable layer of flash spun, film fibril high density polyethylene material.
Since blood sample cards are typically destroyed after use a moisture indicating system should be relatively inexpensive, but capable of producing results which are sufficiently accurate to facilitate proper testing procedures. Moreover, it is desirable to provide a system, e.g., in prepackaged kit form, for collecting both blood and urine specimens in one examination and mailing such specimens in a single, compartmentalized envelope.
Heretofore there has not been available a medical specimen collection system with a humidity-indicating blood sample card or a collection method with the advantages and features of the present invention.